The Financial Intelligence Unit of Liberia (FIU) attention has been drawn to media reports that it and the Ministry of Justice are under “intense pressure or lobbying to hide the names of some top government officials” in regards to its ongoing investigation of Sheik Bassirou Kante.
Firstly, the FIU wants to register that as a matter of practice, the government of Liberia or its officials do not interfere, dictate, and direct any investigation at the FIU including the ongoing investigation of Sheik Bassirou Kante.
The Financial Intelligence Unit wants to state in all unequivocal terms that at no time, the government or individuals in high places have lobbied or put the FIU under pressure to hide or withhold names. The FIU sees such media report as a distraction and calls on the public and the media to wait on the conclusion of FIU’s findings.
We call on the media to always double-check with the FIU before the publication of such stories in obtaining foundational facts in search of the truth for the public.
Additionally, such reports have the proclivity to jeopardize the FIU membership application with the Egmont Group on confidentiality and other integrity of information security.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Financial Intelligence Unit assures all that it will continue to perform its statutory mandate to investigate illicit financial dealings without fear or favor.